Carson adds his voice against appalling level of service at Lockerbie

Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson has added his voice to those concerned about the appalling level of service passengers are experiencing at Lockerbie Station.

Although not in his constituency, many of Mr Carson’s constituents use the station as a quicker link to Glasgow and Edinburgh than Stranraer and Dumfries offer.

However, they have been let down by constant delays and cancellations as well as seeing the popular 10.30 and 2.30 services axed, which won’t be reinstated until May.

He is joining others who have called on Transpennine Express to get a grip of the situation or run the risk of losing the right to operate from Lockerbie.

Commenting, Finlay Carson MSP said: “Although Lockerbie train station is not in my constituency, many of my constituents travel to use it as a supposedly faster of way of connecting to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

“However, the recent service has been nothing short of appalling and this has come on top of operators axing popular services in the morning and afternoon to Edinburgh.

“Although it is welcome these will be reinstated when new timetables come out in May, the current level of performance just is not good enough.

“Lockerbie passengers are having to deal with some of the most unreliable services in the whole of the United Kingdom and Transpennine Express need to get a grip of the situation.

“Yet again it is rural passengers who lose out when it comes to vital rail services.

“If we truly which to see model change and people move from car journeys onto the railways there needs to be a dramatic and urgent review of rail services servicing Dumfries and Galloway.”